Luk 6 outline:
Luk 6:1-11, Sabbath questions: it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath
Luk 6:12-16, Jesus chose His twelve disciples
Luk 6:17-19, A great multitude gathered to Him, and He healed them all
Luk 6:20-26, Sermon on the Mount: blessed are you, woe to you
Luk 6:27-36, Love your enemies / therefore be merciful
Luk 6:37-38, Judge not/ your measure will be measured back to you
Luk 6:39-42, Parable of the blind leading the blind, disciples like their teacher, speck in your brother’s eye
Luk 6:43-45, A tree is known by its fruit
Luk 6:46-49, The parable of the house built on the rock
Luk 5:1-6:19 chiastic structure:
1a) Luk 5:1-3, The multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God;
1b) Luk 5:4-11, The call of Simon Peter and the fishermen disciples;
1c) Luk 5:12-16, Miraculous healing + multitudes sought Him + He withdrew;
1) Luk 5:12-14, Jesus healed a leper;
2) Luk 5:15, The report circulated concerning Him and the multitude sought Him to be healed;
3) Luk 5:16, He withdrew into the wilderness and prayed;
1d) Luk 5:17-26, Jesus finds a need + the scribes and Pharisees accuse Jesus;
1) Luk 5:17-20, Jesus encounters a paralyzed man;
2) Luk 5:21, The scribes and Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies?;
3) Luk 5:22a, When Jesus perceived their thoughts;
4) Luk 5:23-26, He asked them, Which is easier, to say, Your sins or forgiven, or to say, Take up your bed and walk?;
1e) Luk 5:27-29, After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi;
1f) Luk 5:30-35, The Pharisees question His disciples (eating and drinking with sinners) + Jesus answered them;
central axis) Luk 5:36-39, The parable of the unshrunk cloth and the new wine;
2f) Luk 6:2-5, The Pharisees question His disciples (eating on the Sabbath) + Jesus answered them;
2e) Luk 6:6, On a Sabbath He taught in the synagogue, and a man was there whose right hand was withered;
2d) Luk 6:6-9, Jesus finds a need + the scribes and Pharisees accuse Jesus;
1) Luk 6:6, Jesus encounters a man with a withered hand;
2) Luk 6:7, The scribes and Pharisees watched Him, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might accuse Him;
3) Luk 6:8a, But He knew their thoughts;
4) Luk 6:9, He asked them, Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or destroy it?;
2c) Luk 6:10-12, Miraculous healing + Pharisees sought something against Him + He withdrew;
1) Luk 6:10, Jesus healed the man with a withered hand;
2) Luk 6:11, The Pharisees were enraged, and sought what they might do against Him;
3) Luk 6:12, He withdrew to the mountain to pray;
2b) Luk 6:13-16, He called His disciples to Himself;
2a) Luk 6:17-19, Great multitudes came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases;
1a) Luk 6:17-18a, A great multitude came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as unclean spirits;
central axis) Luk 6:18b, And they were healed;
2a) Luk 6:19, The whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
The central axis is the parable of unlike natures are not compatible with each other. Shrunk cloth cannot be compatible with unshrunk cloth, and new wine is not compatible with old wine, but must go into new wineskins. A ha Christine! You see? The New and Old Testaments are not compatible with each other! No, that is not the point of the parable. The New and Old Testaments are of a single nature and from a single source, and teach a single gospel. No, the new life of the man who has experienced the new birth out of repentance, is not compatible with the old life of unrepentant compliance with the world and its ways.
Luk 6:20-49 chiastic structure:
1a) Luk 6:20-26, He taught His disciples, saying, Blessed are you + woe to you;
1b) Luk 6:27-36, Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you + be merciful just as Your Father is merciful;
1c) Luk 6:37-38, Judge not, condemn not, forgive, and give;
central axis) Luk 6:39-40, Can the blind lead the blind? A disciple is not above his teacher, but will be like his teacher;
2c) Luk 6:41-42, Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?;
2b) Luk 6:43-45, A good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit;
2a) Luk 6:46-49, He who hears My sayings and does them is like a house built on a rock.
Jesus is comparing two kinds of fruit, two kinds of trees, and two kinds of people. There are those who are poor in spirit, who hunger and thirst for righteousness’ sake, who mourn over their sins, and are reviled by the world. Then there are those who are rich and feel the need of nothing, who enjoy the world and who are well esteemed by the world. They are two different kinds of people bearing two different kinds of fruit. One kind hears the words of Jesus and does them, and the other kind hears the words of Jesus and does not do them. Let’s not be deceived, the other kind can also call Jesus, “Lord, Lord.”
One kind loves, does good (even when they do not profit from it), is merciful, and forgives, bearing the fruit of the good tree.
One kind does not judge or condemn the motives of another’s heart, and instead of focusing their time and attention on what is wrong with YOU, focuses time and attention on what is wrong with ME, and fixing that.
Now the central axis shows us, that disciples will be growing to be like their teacher. In other words, the true disciples of Jesus, who are bearing good fruit, will look like Jesus. They won’t look like the other kind. The true disciples of Jesus will forgive just as their heavenly Father forgives. The true disciples of Jesus will be kind because their heavenly Father is kind. They will look like Him.
The flip side of this teaching, is that the heavenly Father does good to His enemies. The heavenly Father forgives and is merciful. The heavenly Father gives to everyone who asks of Him. The heavenly Father, out of the good treasure of His heart, brings forth good. Aren’t you glad?
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